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XX INTEODUCTION. 



together with a catalogue of plants indigenous to the regions u. 

 traversed by us, dried specimens of the greater number of 

 which I haye been able to collect and place in the Botanical 

 Department of the British Museum. Another friend 

 given nie his assistance in describing the 35th parallel route, ^ 

 along which I did not pass. 



I have explained the physical geography of the country 



! 



west of the Mississippi, across which the Americans are con 

 structing two, if not three, trans -continental railways, at 

 some length, and have placed it at the end of this Introduction, 

 because I desire that those of my readers who are especially 

 interested in the Western country should carefully read it 

 before commencing the narrative. 



When in the following pages mention is made of th 

 Southern or the Kansas Pacific Eailway, the same railwa 

 w^U be implied, viz., that formerly called the Union Pacific 

 Eailroad, Eastern Division, now being constructed throug 

 Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and the southe 

 part of California to San Francisco. When the central routi 

 or railway is referred to, then that Union Pacific Eailwa| 

 which passes by Salt Lake, through Nebraska, Wyoming; 

 Utah, Nevada, and California to San Prancisco must 

 understood. Farther north still, a third line is in contempla 

 tion, uniting the waters of Lake Superior with the Pacific a 

 Portland and Seattle. This railway is known by one nani' 

 only — the Northern Pacific Eailroad. 



The last chapter is devoted to railway topics and emigrS' 

 tion, and is intended to explain the modus operandi of I 

 railway construction in the United States — a subject whie^ 

 present is attracting considerable attention. In a 

 country like England, railways are, comparatively spea 

 a luxuiy, and are only carried through districts sufficit 



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